US marks holiday with travel, shopping

PARADE ON:Winds eased to allow the Macy’s parade to proceed, but it was not without mishap as Spider-man got caught up in a tree and PETA were snubbed

Reuters, NEW YORK

About 43 million people were expected to take trips on the holiday weekend, according to travel group AAA, despite heavy rain, wind and snow across parts of the eastern US that started on Wednesday and snarled roadway and airport traffic.

In Augusta, Maine, temperatures fell to minus-3oC and in Boston it was 0oC, although the wind chill made it feel much colder in both places, meteorologists said on www.weather.com.

Even after arriving safely, families may find challenges in the kitchen this holiday. Butterball LLC reported a shortage of large, fresh turkeys, company spokeswoman Megan Downey said in an e-mail message, adding that an investigation had begun.

At the White House, where first lady Michelle Obama is known for her focus on healthy eating, there was no sign of calorie cutting on the Thanksgiving menu. The Obamas were set to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving meal, including nine different pies — huckleberry, pecan, sweet potato, peach, apple, pumpkin, chocolate cream, banana cream and coconut cream.

Cooks also prepared honey-baked ham, macaroni and cheese, sweet potatoes and mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and two kinds of stuffing — cornbread and oyster, the White House said.

On the menu for inmates in Arizona under the watch of controversial Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio was a US$0.56 meal featuring an entree of vegetarian turkey soy casserole.

“Hope the inmates give thanks for this special meal being served in the jails tomorrow,” Arpaio said in a holiday meal preview he tweeted on Wednesday.